Tag Archives: Lovina (Schiele) Yegerlehner

Plane Crash (Gladys)

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September 4, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 4, 1945, p. 1

Sept. 4 – 1945

Dear Daddy –

It’s nearly 10 o’clock and I have an ironing to do and cabbage to cut for kraut, but the mail just came with yours of 8-31 & 9-1 so I am going to write now and work later. Also had a letter from the Moores. I wrote them and sent the baby’s pants. B. said J.B. had a letter from you. She said 8 of the boys went out on points (and very happy). David seems normal this morning. He didn’t run any temp. yesterday, but this morning he called me at about 7:30 and wanted a glass of drink – I had been up with him at 4 too for same. It was so chilly this morning I thought he must have a temp. to be wanting a drink so early, but he doesn’t have and is playing around here very happily. It is too cool for him to go out – that is, there is no sunshine and it is damp & chilly so I am keeping him in. Last night John was going upstairs with him to put him to bed and somehow he fell down the stairs. John said he just sort of slid down on his “bottom end.” He was scared some and John had to carry him back up and then David refused to even walk from the bathroom to his bed. He told John “I might fall.” However he seems to have forgotten – has been back upstairs by himself this morning.

Statons took Mark with them to the fair last night. Jimmy wanted someone along with him. Mark saw a piper cub crash out there and was quite impressed. I don’t believe he will be so

September 4, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] anxious to take plane rides now. It really quieted him down on the subject.

John got his course straightened out finally. He is taking speech this year instead of English, and Smith is his teacher. He takes Latin and has Kitsmiller. Smith told him if he takes speech it won’t be necessary to take English. He is much happier about school now. He mowed the back yard after school yesterday. I paid Mark $2.00 to clean up the yard the first time because it was such a job, but I am putting them back on a monthly basis and told then it was both their job now.

– – The sun has come out and it’s nearly noon. I stopped to get a few things done. I had promised an upside down cake for today so had to get it baked for lunch.

I am sending your mother one of David’s pictures today for her birthday the 6^th. I hope you remembered to send her a card or letter.

– – had to stop again – the boys came in for lunch. John was rattling off something from speech class. He is really enjoying it. Mark had a piece of fabric from the plane that crashed last night. Someone had it at school and you know how he likes souvenirs. David is taking a nap. He would not go to sleep yesterday but today he dropped right off without any fuss. I was feeling somewhat guilty about his mosquito bites – however I try to kill them every night before I go to bed – but it seems everyone has some. Statons’ baby & Jimmy, Joy Funk had so many but so far she hasn’t had any reaction from them. I think they get them in the daytime while they are out playing as well as at night.

I suppose you have all the low-down on discharges, that is, what has come out in the papers & over the radio – Let’s hope they soon get to you.

I love you – Mother

[Editor’s Note: An article about the plane crash made the front page of the Brook Reporter on September 6, 1945.]

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/05/06/plane-crash-gladys/

No Radio (Roscoe)

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September 3, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 3, 1945, p. 1

Sept. 3, 1945

Dear Mother,

I’m on the ward but wouldn’t have to be since it is Labor Day but in order to get breakfast one has to be there by 0830. It is now about 1000 but I want this to be sure and get off in the mail which I suppose leaves around 12 as it does on Sun.

In one of your letters you mentioned the fact that I heard all of the discharge stuff over the radio. I haven’t heard a radio since I left home. They have them on the wards but my room is too far from it and anyway they don’t listen to much news.

I see by this AM paper the army is cutting down on the points and lowering the age. I just don’t know how or when the navy is going to start but they will have to before long if they intend to get rid of all they plan on in the

September 3, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] next few months. I do get very discouraged at times but it just can’t last indefinitely since the “shootin’” has stopped and these new boys just coming in certainly will have a tour of duty. We have right here at this station about 8-10 brand new. There are also several fellows just like me who have been out before and are wondering what is coming next.

The show last night was “Bedside Manners” – pretty good. Tonight – “Ten Men from Westpoint.” I saw it on the Islands – again in N.Z. so I hardly think I’ll see it again because in the first place it wasn’t good. I didn’t recognize the name the second time in N.Z. so just stayed thru for lack of something else to do.

September 3, 1945, p. 3

[page 3] So far today there has been no mail but I’m hoping it arrives by 1030 as it does on other days.

I think in a few days I’ll be able to send some dough home but I’m not sure when the travel money will come and I still don’t have that watch. The ship store officer is a Jewish Dr. and I’m not certain. Their watches are two prices – one around $30.00 and the next up to $77.00. That seems a little high. I think before I pay that I’ll use the old N.Z. one I now have.

I wrote the folks yesterday – wishing Mom a happy birthday also. I haven’t been off the place to buy a card. It seems that

September 3, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] was about all the letters I could scrape up in one PM.

I’d keep reminding Chet once in a while about that burner. He should know all about that type furnace since it is practically the same as Nick’s down to the controls, etc. He claims he is going to reduce the heat bill for Nick. I believe I’d try to get the fuel oil from either Standard of Schub – unless you could work out a 3 way deal. I’ve thought of the burner because it is so cold here, seems like the dead of winter only without snow.

Well, lots of love
Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/05/05/no-radio-roscoe/

A Petition (Gladys)

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August 25, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

August 25, 1945, p. 1

Aug. 25 – 1945

Dear Daddy –

Yours of Aug. 21 & 23 came this a.m. – so the air mail really gets here the quickest. I went over to Lucille’s last night to watch the wedding – Doris Wilson & Goog Marvin were married at the church at 8 PM. It was a very pretty affair. Bethel was bridesmaid & wore blue – Doris in white, of course. Jimmy Ed has hay fever & asthma too (at least he sounds like Glen does) and was so stopped up he could hardly breathe. All Dr. M. had given him was Phenobarbital – ¼ of 1½ gr. every three or four hrs. He got to coughing and threw up one dose – Ed called the Dr. and he said to repeat. I didn’t stay long – Ed had Jimmy on the glider and after he had the last pill acted like he was going to quiet down. I haven’t talked to Lucile today so far so don’t know how they got thru the night. I went over to Mildred Gerricks to class party about 9 o’clock. After the party I talked to Pauline Hiestand. She said Mary Childress came to her and asked her if she would be willing to sign a petition. She said she would be more than glad to. However, I am not so sure of thinks. Lucile told me some things Dr. M. said to her, that he claimed he said to you while you were here and I told Lucile he had not said anything at all to you of the kind. The only time I know of that he talked to you was in front of the barber shop the day Dorothy was with us.

August 25, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] Well he told Lucile that he told you to come and see him and he would see what he could do for you. All I can remember hearing him say was, “Sorry you have to go back to San F.” He also told Lucile if you got back now, it would have to be thru him. I think he meant a petition would have to go thru him. So I don’t know what to do if anything. I think I’ll go talk to him and ask him if he has any “info” from the Amer. Med. Assn. – I suppose they will have something if there is anything out on the situation.

Link took Irene to Chicago yesterday. Atkinson said she had a blood clot – he put her right in the hospital and elevated her leg and applied heat. She has to take penicillin too for “phlolitis.” (incorrect spelling) I don’t know how long she will be in the hospital. I wonder why her Dr. at Sheldon couldn’t diagnose her case?

It is very cool here. I have washed and now have corn to put in the locker. It isn’t such a job tho. Just cut is off the cob and put it in the boxes – It has to be dipped in boiling water then cold before its cut off. It will be easier than cooking it tho.

Miss Smith was here yesterday and thinks John should attend a conservatory in Chicago Saturdays for piano lessons this winter. She is going to Chicago soon and said she would go to the conservatory and see about making arrangements. The place she has in mind is close to the bus station, so he could go up on the bus.

A letter came from your Mother this a.m. She says she isn’t feeling so well – I’ll enclose the letter. She sent us some red points.

Our magazines came to Kentland, so the change of address is in effect now.

I’ll send the gold braid & shirt & pants.
Love Mother

Letter from Lovina, dated August 23, 1945, p. 1

Aug. 23

Dear Gladys and boys

Received your letter. Glad you got back in your home again. I guess you have heard from Roscoe since he got out to San F. Hope he won’t have to stay long. It’s real chilly this morning, raining all morning. I canned some peaches yesterday not doing anything but cleaning up the house this morning. I’m not feeling very good (Haven’t felt good for nearly two weeks.) I’m going to the Dr. this

Letter from Lovina, dated August 23, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] afternoon. My hearts been bothering me so then I have the headache so in the back of my head. Pop wanted to finish digging potatoes today but it rained him out. We haven’t washed this week yet. We had to take the wash machine to town to get it worked on. Hope we can get it this week yet so I can wash some things. I’ll send you a few red points. I don’t have any news now to tell you. Hope your all well. Etta Campbell came out Tuesday, brought her cooker. We canned 24 pts. of corn. That’s all I want to can. Will have more in a few days. It’s no use to can so much. We don’t eat much corn.

Love Mom

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/04/17/a-petition-gladys/

Silvester Schiele

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Letter transcription:

August 16, 1945

Aug. 16 45

Dear Folks – Vine wrote me some days ago that Roscoe was leaving for the west coast Aug. 17^th. We hope now as Japan has surrendered you will be able to return to private life. It would be a shame if you had to return again to the overseas territory.

We leave for home, Chicago, the 23^rd, next Thursday, so don’t write us here, but our home address. It’s beautiful here this time of the year – but we have been away from Chicago 2 months, so we go about one week earlier than usual.

Is John through at Evanston for this year? If he is still there next Friday it would be fine if he would stay with us over Sunday. We would love to have him. Jessie & I are both fine, I am much better, thank the Lord. Jessie’s sister is not so well, arthritis in her back – very painful, we hope to go to Clay City early in September – Hope you will be at Kentland. Our mail is terrible slow here this year. Drop us, even just a line or postal card.

Our love and best wishes

Sincerely,
Silvester

Home address 2028 W. 110^th St. – Chicago

[Editor’s note: Silvester Schiele was Roscoe’s uncle. Vine, a nickname for Lovina, was Roscoe’s mother.]

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/04/05/silvester-schiele-2/

Meet at Grandma’s

4 Replies

Letter transcription:

August 2, 1945

Evanston Aug. 2

Dear Mother,

Just a line or two to tell you I think I’ll meet you at Grandma’s. Since you’re not coming till Tuesday that will give me plenty of time to plan things out. I’ll go to Wilmington Saturday. The Mutchlers know the transportation situation and can help me plan how to get to C.C.

Mrs. S. is going to help me send my stuff by express.

So I’ll be seeing you Tuesday –

Love John

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/04/03/meet-at-grandmas/

A Baby Announcement

1 Reply

[Editor’s note: John Ed Ley was the son of John P. and Inez (Kline) Ley. Readers may be familiar with the Kline family. Forrest and Gertrude Kline were residents of Lafayette, Indiana. They are mentioned somewhat frequently in the WII letters. Gertrude was one of the first visitors to the hospital after the birth of baby David in 1942. Forrest and Inez Kline were siblings, and children of Nancy Mae (McCoy) Walker Kline. Nancy and Lovina (Schiele) Yegerlehner, Roscoe’s mother, were half sisters, making Forrest and Inez first half cousins to Roscoe.]

Vicki Diane was the first child of John P. Ley and his wife Helen Gibbens.

A Family Tragedy

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After May 2nd, 1944, the letters go silent for a week. While Roscoe and Gladys were writing letters to each other further north, in Clay City, Indiana, a family tragedy was taking place. During the day, Roscoe’s oldest brother Sam fell off the back of a truck while working on his farm. He fractured his skull during the fall and died several hours later. At this point, it is unknown whether or not Roscoe, Gladys & the children traveled to Clay City for the funeral. Romaine, the daughter of Ruth (Yegerlehner) Mutchler, does not recall attending the funeral, although she does remember the sadness which accompanied the tragedy. With gas rationing and other travel limitations in effect during WWII, it is hard to say whether or not the family did go. However, the lack of letters would indicate that Roscoe and Gladys were together.

SAMUEL A. YEGERLEHNER

CLAY CITY, Ind., May 3. – -(Special)- – Samuel A. Yegerlehner, 53 years old, died at 8:30 last night at the Clay County Hospital from a fractured skull sustained Tuesday morning when he fell from a truck two miles east of Clay city. Mr. Yegerlehner is survived by the widow, Esther; the parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Yegerlehner of clay City; two sons, Paul and Earl of Clay city; one sister, Mrs. Ruth Hutchler of Wilmington, Ill.; four brothers, Clarence and Ralph of Clay City, Roscoe of the United States Navy at Great Lakes, Ill., and Floyd of Bluffton, and one grandchild. The boys was brought to the Schoppenhorst Funeral Home and will be returned to the residence in Clay City Wednesday afternoon. Short funeral services will be held at the residence at 1:30 o’clock Thurdsay afternoon followed by services at St. Peters Reformed Chruch at 2 o’clock with Rev. Bredeweg officiating. Burial will be in St. Peter’s Reformed cemetery.

YEG1940 - Sam, Esther, Earl, Paul & Leanna

Samuel, Earl, Esther, Leanna and Paul Yegerlehner, c1940s

Romaine’s Commencement (Ruth)

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April 30, 1944, p. 1

[Gladys included this letter from Ruth Mutchler in her May 2nd letter. Ruth was Roscoe’s sister.]

Letter transcription:

Wilmington Ill.
April 30, 1944

Dear folks,

Just a line before I go downtown this morning. I am sewing & must go down to get some thread. It is raining again this morning as usual.

We have been anxious to know what has become of you. In your last letter you said you had been apartment hunting & we have been wondering if you have found one. It will be nice if you can be near Jake while he is stationed there. Romaine & I were in Chicago, all day on Saturday, two weeks ago. We eyed every Naval officer that we saw. Thinking just perhaps

April 30, 1944, p. 2

[page 2] Jake may have been downtown, but – no see –

We went up for her formal. Had a hard time finding one, but finally found one which we think is quite pretty. It is yellow marquisette. She is getting all excited now, the Senior activities are “stepping up.” Had the Senior play Fri. & Sat. nights. She had so hoped grandpa & grandma would come up for commencement, but Mom wrote & said that it wouldn’t be possible for them to come now. She is still counting on you to be here.

Earl & Chuck are trying hard to get their garden in but so much rain keeps

[page 3] them from it. They now have their potatoes, peas & early stuff such as lettuce carrots & onions in. Earl went fishing

April 30, 1944, p. 3

for a little while yesterday after-noon, but too cold for that, got two I think he said. He is so busy at the mine, he hasn’t much time for fishing & gardening.

Must run along now. Let us hear from you, haven’t Jake’s address so can’t write to him, so send it along when you write again. Hope you are all well

Love Ruth

Come for commencement if you can. It is May 26.

A Week Since (Gladys)

1 Reply

April 29, 1944 envelope

April 29, 1944, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
4-29-44

Dear Daddy –

Doesn’t seem possible that it has been a week since we were anxiously waiting for you to come home. Just hope we can look for you next Sat. After I wrote to you yesterday, I took David out in the yard with me and he fell down smack on his lip and made it bleed. Then after we came back into the house he fell again and made it bleed again. I put sulfa powder on it and took him to the Dr. this morning. He took the stitches out and in spite of everything it looks pretty good. The swelling from the bumps yesterday is about gone. We have been trying to keep him from falling today. I put him in the Taylor Tot and Mark pushed him around this morning and has him out now. Buddy came out to play with Mark. He will get a taste of what it’s like

April 29, 1944, p. 2

[page 2] to push the baby around.

Al came out this morning with our mortgage exemption for me to sign. He wanted to know if we were going to rent the house to Smiths. I said we would but if we wanted to come back would want the house. I told him we couldn’t say anything definite about how long they could have it. He wanted to know how much rent and I said just enough to meet the payments – between $45 & $50. He said they didn’t have any other house in view. I asked him if he knew of any rental agencies in Evanston or Chicago. He said he didn’t, he is just new in this business.

I have been thinking I might get Dorothy or someone to go with me and go to Evanston or someplace around there one day and house hunt. What do you think?

April 29, 1944, p. 3

[page 3] John has the Opera on. It is being broadcast from Chicago. I wish I could have taken John up for this particular opera, but Miss Smith said the house was sold out weeks ago – that is tickets under $5.50. If we were all in the upper brackets a little $5.50 wouldn’t bother us.

No mail today. Not even a circular. I suppose two or three of yours (letters) will come Mon.

– – Just had a hair cutting job – Martha wanted her bangs cut – but that didn’t take very long. I forgot about the haircut I was supposed to do last weekend until after you left. You no doubt have visited a barber there.

Another pause to take care of David and get him ready to go back out. Yesterday in Laf. he didn’t want to go in the elevators – when I came home and told John, he thought

April 29, 1944, p. 4

[page 4] it was “cute” or something like that. He says he can remember the time I made him ride in the elevator and get over his phobia. He said you weren’t along. I remember the time myself. It was in T.H.

I attended class party last night at Simisons. I was talking to Clarice and Smith is the man Huftys were talking about the evening we were there. I told her we were considering renting our house to them and she said she was glad because they were anxious to find a place. This man Smith has a lot to live up to because I think Bob and a few others pulled hard to get him.

I should write your Mother and tell her about David’s fall or should I say falls. I think by tomorrow it should be healed enough for him to be turned loose.

I must get busy.
Love Mother

Ice Cream for Supper (Gladys)

1 Reply

April 27, 1944 envelope

April 27, 1944, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
4-27-44

Dear Daddy –

No letter this morning – I suppose the train was late or for some reason or other it didn’t make connections. It is very windy and I hung drapes out to air. I am not sure I will hang them again. I should have washed those other woolen blankets. The sun has been shining but the wind is very sharp. Lucile walked out with Jimmy but didn’t stay long. Then David & I walked down to the highway, then back to Mrs. Krull’s. Louise is here this week with her children. Mrs. Krull is sewing for Louise so can’t make a suit for me for some time. I looked at B & B for a suit for John

April 27, 1944, p. 2

[page 2] this morning, but they haven’t much selection. I took David to the Dr. this a.m. – he said to bring him back today. He said it looked good (that is as good as it could after what it had been thru – the lip of course). He said to bring him back in two days to have stitches out.

Dorothy is going to Laf. tomorrow and I plan to go. I am going to take David along. I don’t want to leave him with anyone with such a lip. He may get it bumped with me but I don’t want that to happen for anyone else.

Had a letter from your Mother. Eel river is out and the road north is under water. I suppose by now it is going down. Uncle Geo. had a stroke and Dad and the boys went up to see him. He is better now.

April 27, 1944, p. 3

[page 3] John is at a wiener roast at school. He came home to get cokes out of the refrigerator and said it was so windy they were going inside to have their party. They had intended having it out on the grounds. I told him they should come over and use our fireplace and he reminded me that it is full of clinkers.

Mark wants us to have something “extra special” for supper since John is having a picnic supper. He suggested ice cream and make sodas. We have some cokes but I told him he could have the soda. I have had one coke today and I believe that is enough. Arlene had Donnie & Bobby in the wagon – had been to the filling station for cokes – and David and I were walking along and she asked me in for a coke.

April 27, 1944, p. 4

[page 4] David wanted a taste but that was all. He kept saying words and they thought he was progressing very well in his talking. He closed the nursery door and Donnie said, “You’re bad.” They said he says that to everyone about everything. David made a puddle on the nursery floor (at home) and took me to see it. He has seen me mop up his puddles and thought that was what should be done.

Mark is wanting to go to town to get his ice cream so will let him go and mail this and get the paper.

Hope you have found us a place to live. Wish I could be up there to look around but you & Joe together should be able to find something –

Love Mother